The King of Pallet Town
by rainchecks
Summary: Short story of Green and Leaf and their rivalry as six-year olds: in an attempt to settle things once and for all, they compete in an "ultimate showdown" against each other to decide which of them gets to be King of Pallet Town (or queen). GreenxLeaf


Leaf's eyes frantically scanned the soft green carpet of the field past the Professor's lab, her small hands running over the spread in hunt for a four-leaf clover.

She was now in round five of her and Green's "ultimate showdown". Whoever won would be declared king of Pallet Town.

"Or queen," Leaf pointed out to him after he finished explaining the competition. Green waved a hand carelessly to her, rolling his eyes.

"Doesn't matter 'cuz I'm gonna win easy."

Leaf balled her hands into fists.

"Nuh-uh."

"Yeah-huh. I'm challenging you 'cuz this is the _ultimate _showdown and I can finally prove to the world that I'm better than you."

* * *

Round one was a wrestling match. It was the shortest of all the other rounds, but Leaf had put up a good fight. She had managed to squirm out of Green's grasp a few times, but in the end he had her pinned down by the shoulders, her little legs kicking furiously beneath him.

Round two was a tree climbing contest and whoever climbed the highest won. Green very nearly attained victory. As he taunted her from several branches above, Leaf was pushed to climb so high that she ended up stuck in terror for a full hour until Green had to force himself up to help her down. Green declared himself winner because not only did he practically climb just as high as her, he had to rescue her as well. However, both children were nearly in tears by the time their trembling legs reached the ground.

Round three and four went quickly. Three was a "let's-see-who-can-hold-their-breath-the-longest" contest, in which Leaf won for catching Green secretly trying to breathe through his nose. After catching their breath, round four was a quick race from Green's front door, around the Professor's laboratory, and back on his front porch. Green won with flying colors.

Victory yelling ensued, but surprisingly it didn't last long.

"Hey loser," he said to Leaf, who sat dejectedly on the stairs of his porch. "I know I already won three rounds, but we never got to do round five."

"So what," Leaf mumbled. Green sat down beside her.

"Well you're never any real competition," he explained bluntly, waving his hand in the air carelessly. "I feel bad 'cuz you never have a chance."  
Leaf tried to point out that she would've won the tree climbing and he just happened to be stronger in wrestling and a super-fast runner too. Her timid words were drowned out, though.

"As King of Pallet Town, I've decided to let the lowly peasant Leaf have one last chance."

Leaf looked up in confusion.

"If you can defeat me in round five," Green continued, "you get to be King."

"Really?" she whispered in wonder. "You'd do that…?"

"Yup."

Leaf smiled big, amazed at this incredible offer Green was presenting. She gazed up at him in admiration, to which he received smugly. She still had to correct him, though.

"Queen," she said. Green rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. You're such a girl."

* * *

And here she was, in round five. The kids had been searching well into the afternoon. But Leaf was relentless. She wanted to be queen so bad, but not so she could take Green's title away from him. She was hoping they could be King and Queen together. That way they could finally be equals. She daydreamed about what that would be like. Perhaps Green would start being nicer to her if she could only be as cool as him.

Her reverie was interrupted by Green's voice, calling her name as he excitedly sprinted towards her. He's so fast, she thought.

"Leaf! I win! Look!" he ran up panting, kneeling down in the grass in front of her. Opening up his fist, a crumpled up four-leaf clover was revealed in his palm. Leaf was both blown away and distressed.

"I win!" Green cried, popping on his feet again. "I'm King of Pallet Town! Little baby, girly Leaf loses again!"

"G-green!" Leaf began, standing up. "I-I was hoping we could be King and Queen together."

He looked at her stupidly. "No way. I just won the _ultimate_ showdown. Only I get to be King. Losers like you don't get to rule."

Leaf's heart sank. "Can we do a round six?" she pleaded. Green stuck his tongue out.

"Already gave you a second chance. And you'd lose anyway."

He was probably right.  
"I might win, though."

"I already won four rounds!" Green said angrily. "You always lose so just accept defeat. You're just a dumb girl, you'll never be better than me!"

Tears filled her eyes. "Green you're so mean!" she whined.

"Crybaby girly girl," he jeered, sending her over the edge. With a sob, she gave him a weak shove before running away crying.

* * *

Leaf ran all the way past the Professor's lab to the edge of town. She ran up to the water sobbing. She wished she could swim far away from Pallet Town. She didn't want to live there anymore: not if Green was gonna rule and bully her all day.

Leaf found a big tree nearby and sat against its trunk to hide from Green. However, hide and seek was another game Green happened to be better at. Not long after she had hidden there, Green hesitantly came around the trunk, his hands shoved in the pockets of his shorts. Leaf turned her body away from him, stubbornly trying to wipe her tears away.

Green bullied Leaf on a daily basis, but rarely did he put her in tears. Whenever he made her cry, Green was miserable. He dug at the ground with the toe of his sneaker sheepishly.

"Leaf, I'm sorry," he mumbled, his apology barely audible. "I didn't mean to say all that."

She looked up at him through her tear-blurred vision, giving him a hard look. He stared at the ground shamefully.

"I'm sorry for calling you a loser. And dumb." His voice dropped even softer. "And a crybaby girly girl."

Sniffling, Leaf managed small smile. Green glanced up and visible relief showed his body language as soon as he caught it.

"I forgive you," she said. As she clambered onto her feet, she froze when Green's hand shot out before her. He had the clover.

"You can have this," he said shyly. Her eyes ogled at the clover. Sure it was crumpled up, but it was a real four-leaf clover. And after all that time spent on hunting for it, he was giving it to her. In awe, she reached out and daintily took it into her own hands. Her eyes looked up to Green in adoration once more.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

Green stood proudly. Leaf's fits of admiration for him seemed to have that effect. He stumbled back startled when she embraced him.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed again. "You're gonna be a nice king after all!"

As nice as her hug felt, six year old Green Oak still had an image to maintain.

"H-hey!" he said, half-heartedly trying to pry her off. "L-let go of me, you weirdo!"


End file.
